Scrap cutter

ABSTRACT

At least one wall portion is movable with respect to a fill box for precompression of scrap supplied thereto adjoining a cutter. Vertical pivot means journal the wall portions at a location transverse to direction of scrap supply. Fluid actuator means move at least one wall portion to swing about the axis of the pivot means. Fluid actuator means are also provided at each of opposite ends of at least one wall portion movable with respect to an opposite wall portion. Only a partial cover transverse to the wall portions is provided for facilitating supply of scrap between the wall portions of the fill box.

United States Patent lnventor Hellmut Galter Kassel, Germany Appl. No.776,694 Filed Nov. 18, 1968 Patented Oct. 5, 1971 Assignee RheinstahlHenschel Aktiengesellschaft Kassel, Germany Priority Dec. 28, 1967, Nov.17, 1967 Germany M T1627 256.3 P 16 27 259.

SCRAP CUTTER 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs. U.S.Cl 100/218, 1

100/295 i lnt.Cl 133% 7/00, Q B30b 15/06 Field of Search 100/98, 94, j 1

Primary ExaminerBilly .l. Wilhite Attorneywalter Becker ABSTRACT: Atleast one wall portion is movable with respect to a fill box forprecompression of scrap supplied thereto adjoining a cutter. Verticalpivot means journal the wall portions at a location transverse todirection of scrap supply. Fluid ac tuator means move at least one wallportion to swing about the axis of the pivot means. Fluid actuator meansare also provided at each of opposite ends of at least one wall portionmovable with respect to an opposite wall portion. Only a partial covertransverse to the wall portions is provided for facilitating supply ofscrap between the wall portions of the till box.

PATENTED mm 519?! SHEET 1 [1F 2 INVIL'N'I ()R.

HELLMUT GALTER PATENTEU 0m 5 IHYI sum 2 OF 2 INVIZN'I'ORv HELLMUT GALTERSCRAP CUTTER This invention relates to a scrap cutter withprecompression of the introduced scrap through a fill box with movablesidewalls. Most hydraulically operable large scrap cutters are providedwith cutting force of many hundred tons generally of the type havinga'fill boxfor the scrap with building elements for precompression of theloose scrap filled therein. So it is known to provide movable sidewallsor side pushers which exert unifonn movement over the entire length ofthe fill box in a direction normal to the feed movement of the scrap.Other solutions provide a folding box exerting folding movement likewisesimultaneously over the entire length of the fill box and compressingthe scrap. By these means the introduction of scrap is to be facilitatedunder a press or ram in the acl tual knife-guiding frame.

With all known embodiments, it is common that the decrease of crosssection of the scrap occurs simultaneously and uniformly over collectivecross sections of the fill box.

This precompression procedure is one event of the working sequence foreach single filling of the box.

The working sequence accordingly is as follows: Filling the scrap,precompression procedure and finally stepwise feeding of the prepressedscrap extrusion to the knife by means of a be replenished and likewisescrap cannot be refilled into the box while the prepressing occurs. The,collective scrap material must be supplied at one time during thefilling procedure a and precludes the feeding of the cutter withcontinuously 3 operating conveyor means such as carrier belts, shakingconveyors and so forth. Fill materials of many 'tons' weight must bekept available by correspondingly applicable crane apparatus at exactfilling time points. The simultaneous supply of collective fillmaterials also results in strong noise and dust'trouble. 6'

for operating personnel. p

More burdensome is the disadvantage that, for example, a large duct mustbe simultaneously pressed together over its entire length by means ofsimultaneous and uniform engagement of the precompression elements alongthe entire length of the fill box. Thereby large forces result for theprecompresv sion elements which require an equally great expenditure forconstruction.

An object of the invention is to eliminate these disadvantages and toprovide a scrap cutter with which the power input is kept small forprecompression of supplied scrap and also that the total weight of thescrap cutter compared to known embodiments is minimized.

This purpose is inventively met by having at least one sidewall or onepart thereof swingable at least about one of the two ends of thesidewall provided with joints having pivotal axis normal against theother sidewall, whereby swinging results by means of a hydrauliccylinder device.

A further development of the invention lies therein that the twosidewalls or movable parts of the sidewalls are swingable independentlyof each other about pivots offset with respect to each other atpermanent locations with normal pivot axis.

Another particularly advantageous development of the invention liestherein that both sidewalls or the movable parts of the sidewalls aresecured to the cutter side end of the fill box by means of links withnormal pivot axes the positions of which are adjustable transverse tothe feed direction independently of each other with hydraulic cylinders.

The movable sidewalls of the fill box are provided above the stationarysidewalls of the fill box and liewith their lower edge movable adjacentto table surfaces and laterally on the upper edge of the stationarysidewalls.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearlyfrom the following specification in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view upon a scrap cutter with a pivotable sidewall;

FIG. 2 is a plan view upon a scrap cutter with two pivotable sidewallsand positioned across from fixed location of turning links;

FIG. 3 is a plan view upon a scrap cutter with turning links adjustabletransverse to the feed direction; and

FIG. 4 is a section taken along line lV-lV in FIG. 3.

The precompression forces for pressing together the scrap supplied intothe scrap cutter is kept within reasonable bounds so that the entirescrap cutter does not become too heavy.

The purpose of the invention is achieved by a step-formed feed pusherthat works together with a swingably provided sidewall of the fill box.

Referring particularly to FIG. 1, the sidewall 4 of the fill box ispivotally joumaled by means of a fixed pivot joint 13 on the cutter sideend of the fill box. A hydraulic cylinder actuator 9 engages the pivotjoint 14 of the sidewall 4 and swings the sidewall 4 in a directiontoward the stationary sidewall l. The feed of the scrap occurs in thissample embodiment by means of a step-formed pusher 3, which is guided onthe stationary sidewall l and which is actuated by the hydrauliccylinder means 8 with a back-and-forth movement having a short stroke.

The fixed sidewall 1 of the fill box 2 forms an acute angle with respectto the feed direction of the scrap. The fixed sidewall 1 guides andsupports the stepped pusher 3 which carries out a short-stroke forwardand rearward movement. The sidewall 4 adapted for swing movement pressesthe supplied scrap against the step-type shoulders of the pusher It isnotable that the scrap on its way over the length of the fill box alsoencounters difi'ering cross sections and is forced to occupy the same.The scrap finally is pushed forward by means of 5 the pusher 3 and isrepeatedly pressed with changing engagement points of the swingablesidewall 4 until the scrap comes to the stamper 5 and cutters 6, whichare provided conventionally in the cutter guide frame 7. A hydrauliccylinder means 8moves the stepped pusher 3 and a further hydrauliccylinder means 9 moves the swingable sidewall 4. The fill box can-have apartial cover 10 although a sufficiently longer part of the box is openat the "top-to permit continuous replenishment of new scrap. For thesame purpose the backwall of the fill boxalso can be adapted as afunnel-formed configuration.

In the sample embodiment according to FIG. 2 the sidewalls 4a, 4b arepivotally joumaled with joints 13a, 13b having displaced positioningwith respect to each other. The hydraulic cylinders 9a, 9b engage thejoints 14a, 14b of the sidewalls 4a, 4b. A known feed pusher 11 servesfor forwarding the precompressed scrap.

In the scrap cutter of FIG. 2, the swingable sidewalls 4a, 4b of thefill box 2 serve as pressure jaws whereby each sidewall is forced by thehydraulic cylinder means 9a, 9b in the direction toward the oppositelylocated sidewall. The pivot points or joints 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b aboutwhich the sidewalls swing have offset positioning with respect to eachother. The feed pusher 11 functions only when the two press jaws orsidewalls are moved from their operating position into their startingposijusted by means of hydraulic cylinder devices 16 and 16 transverselywith respect to the feed direction. By means of the cylirider devices9A, 16 and 9B, 16 the movable walls 4A and' lBcan be moved in acuteangles and also parallel to the feed direction independently of eachother.

FIG. 4 represents the cross section taken at line lV-IV in FIG. 3. Uponthe upper edge of the stationary fill box there are outwardly extendingtable surfaces 17 and 17' connected therewith, upon which the movablesidewalls 4A and 4B are 5 movably supported with their lower edges.

Below the pressure jaws or sidewalls 4A, 48, both above the knifecutting plane above the fixed sidewalls of the fill box 2A with whichthere is no closed unity, there is provided a channel 12 located in theknife cutting plane and into which the precompressed scrap arrives afteropening or separation of the two pressure jaws or walls. Theprecompressed scrap located in the channel 12 also is transferred bymeans of the feed pusher 11A to the stamper or ram 5A and cutter means6A of frame 7A.

The advantages achieved with the invention consist particularly thereinthat the power engagement direction for the precompression of the scrapcan be varied, whereby the power requirement, for example duringpressing together (precompressing) of tubes or other bulky scrap isconsiderably decreased.

I It is, of course, to be understood, that the present invention is, byno means, limited to the particular embodiments set forth above, butalso comprises any modifications within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

l. A scrap precompression apparatus adapted to be used adjacent a scrapcutter including a fill box supplied with scrap for precompression, saidprecompression apparatus comprising: at least a pair of sidewallportions between which scrap is received in the fill box and havingopposite ends spaced from each other, pivot means defining a turningaxis and joumaling the end of at least one sidewall portion to swingwith respect to the other sidewall portion of the fill box, and fluidactuator in which more than one pivot means offset with respect to eachother in permanent locations are provided for said sidewall portions toswing independently of each other.

3. A scrap precompression apparatus according to claim I, in which bothsidewall portions at ends thereof have said pivot means, and separatefluid actuator means provide independent adjustment of said sidewallportions.

4. A scrap precompression apparatus according to claim 1, in which thefill box also has fixed sidewall portions with top edges and definingtable surfaces, said pair of sidewall portions both being movable abovesaid fixed sidewall portions of the fill box, and a bottom edge of saidsidewall portions movably engages said top edges of said fixed wallportions adjoining said table surfaces.

5. A scrap precompression apparatus according to claim I, in which saidpivot means are secured in ofi'set vertical locations.

6. A scrap precompression apparatus according to claim I, in which fluidcylinder means are provided at each end of said one sidewall portion anda partial cover adjoining the cutter end thereof is transverse to saidsidewall portions between which scrap is supplied.

1. A scrap precompression apparatus adapted to be used adjacent a scrapcutter including a fill box supplied with scrap for precompression, saidprecompression apparatus comprising: at least a pair of sidewallportions between which scrap is received in the fill box and havingopposite ends spaced from each other, pivot means defining a turningaxis and journaling the end of at least one sidewall portion to swingwith respect to the other sidewall portion of the fill box, and fluidactuator means effecting swing movement of said one sidewall portion,one sidewall portion having said pivot means at each of opposite endsthereof and additional means to feed said scrap to said cutter after ithas been precompressed.
 2. A scrap precompression apparatus according toclaim 1, in which more than one pivot means offset with respect to eachother in permanent locations are provided for said sidewall portions toswing independently of each other.
 3. A scrap precompression apparatusaccording to claim 1, in which both sidewall portions at ends thereofhave said pivot means, and separate fluid actuator means provideindependent adjustment of said sidewall pOrtions.
 4. A scrapprecompression apparatus according to claim 1, in which the fill boxalso has fixed sidewall portions with top edges and defining tablesurfaces, said pair of sidewall portions both being movable above saidfixed sidewall portions of the fill box, and a bottom edge of saidsidewall portions movably engages said top edges of said fixed wallportions adjoining said table surfaces.
 5. A scrap precompressionapparatus according to claim 1, in which said pivot means are secured inoffset vertical locations.
 6. A scrap precompression apparatus accordingto claim 1, in which fluid cylinder means are provided at each end ofsaid one sidewall portion and a partial cover adjoining the cutter endthereof is transverse to said sidewall portions between which scrap issupplied.